Multipurpose article holder and server



May 3, 1955 R. FORD 2,707,665

MULTIPURPOSE ARTICLE HOLDER AND SERVER Filed Nov. 7, 1952 Fig.

Ruth Ford INVENTOR.

BY M EM!!! United States Patent 0 MULTIPURPOSE ARTICLE HOLDER AND SERVER Ruth Ford, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 7, 1952, Serial No. 319,322

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-279) The present invention relates to a novel and improved miscellaneous article holding container of a portable type which is herein aptly and conveniently referred to as a multipurpose article holder and server, the same being primarily adapted to be employed as a practical accessory for use on a soda fountain counter but being also useful as a carrier for serving the articles contained therein to persons parked in a vehicle at drive-in and curb service restaurants.

Regardless of how and where used, under varying patron servicing requirements, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple, practical and economical compartmental container or holder wherein the parts, which are commonly separate devices, are unified into a novel and consolidated entity, one which is characterized essentially by compartments, one of which may be used as a container for soda straws or the like and the other one of which is fashioned to provide a rack for ice cream cones, drinking glasses and the like.

In carrying out the principles of the invention, the preferred embodiment thereof is intended to be constructed of colorful commercial plastic, stainless steel or an equivalent permanent sheet material so that the parts are available for washing and cleaning.

More specifically, the invention has to do with a unified multipurpose miscellaneous article holder and server for use on a soda fountain or elsewhere which takes the form of a consolidated article of manufacture comprising a first compartment for soda straws or the like and a complemental second compartment integral with said first compartment, said compartments having a common uniting base, and said second compartment having a horizontal top wall paralleling said base and provided with selectively usable openings in which cones, soda glasses and the like may be seated and temporarily racked and held until brought into use by the customer, or customers, being served.

It is another object of the invention to provide the aforementioned construction wherein the opposite ends of the second compartment are open and therefore constructed to accommodate insertable and removable sliding drawers which may be used to hold and serve paper napkins, sanitary spoons, or the like.

Briefly summarized, the invention appertains to a portable article holder and server for use on a soda fountain counter as well as for carrying and serving customers in nearby parked vehicles in combination, a structural entity comprising a single flat rectangular base, a first longitudinal wall attached to and rising perpendicularly from one longitudinal edge of said base, a second longitudinal wall like the first wall attached to and rising perpendicularly from said base and disposed in spaced parallelism to said first wall, transverse end walls joining said base and end portions of said longitudinal walls and defining an open top article receiving and holding compartment, said base extending well beyond said second longitudinal wall, a third longitudinal wall attached to and rising from the other longitudinal edge of said base, said third ice wall being of a height appreciably less than the height of said first and second longitudinal walls, a fourth wall horizontally disposed in spaced parallelism above said base and having one lengthwise edge joining the upper edge of said third wall and having its other lengthwise edge joined with an intermediate portion of said second longitudinal wall and defining a second open ended compartment, and said fourth wall having selectively usable holes therein.

Other objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a perspective view of a multipurpose article holder and server constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and illustrating the manner in which the same is, in part, used;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of these sliding drawers.

The over-all compartments-i1 portable container is characterized, briefly stated, by Way of a first compartment 4, a second complemental compartment 6 and duplicate sliding insertable and removable drawers 8 and 10, the latter being duplicates. of each other.

The single flat bottom or base, a common support for all parts is denoted by the numeral 12 and is flat and rectangular. Rising from the longitudinal edge 14 is a perpendicular or vertical longitudinal wall 16 which is commensurate in length with the length of the base. Spposed to this and rising from an intermediate portion of the base is a corresponding longitudinal or vertical wall 13. Transverse end walls 2!) interconnect, in any suitable manner, the walls 16 and 18 and define a rectangular box-like container or compartment. This is open at its top and may be used for any article but is intended to be used as a holder for soda straws 22 as shown in Figure 2. There is a cover or lid for the open top and this is hingedly attached at 26. The base 12 extends beyond the wall 18 and at the opposite longitudinal edge 28 there is a third vertical or longitudinal wall 30 which is preferably inclined inwardly and upwardly. At

its upper end 32, it joins with a horizontal fourth fiat wall 34 which is in spaced parallelism in respect to the base and which combines with the base and other walls in defining the second shallower compartment. It will be noticed that the edge or end 36 joins the intermediate portion of the wall 18 so that the lower portion 38 defines a divider or partition between the two compart ments. The wall 30 is provided with a plurality of holes 46 which may be used as receivers for ice cream cones 42, drinking glasses (not shown) or other similar articles. This wall is therefore a sort of a rack in which the cones are supported for convenience, accessibility and use by customers. The attendant loads the cone and places it in the rack where it can then conveniently be picked up by the customer. If the device is not used on a counter but is employed as a carrier for outside purposes, the same becomes convenient server for customers or patrons in vehicles in a well known manner. it will be noticed that the drawers are slidable in and out through the open ends provided by the wall structure just defined and they may be completely removed or partly slid open for serving napkins, spoons, or the like. It will be further noticed that each drawer is flat bottomed and the bottom rests on the base or bottom 12 so that the latter is a common support for all the containers. If desired, each drawer may be provided with a finger ring 44 and also the lid may be provided with a finger ring 46. It

will be further noticed that a wall portion 38 is not only a divider for the two compartments 4 and 6 but is also a stabilizing guide for the adjacent wall 48 of the sliding drawers.

The over-all structure is a novel serving entity, is compact, convenient and appropriately unique. The parts contribute to the common end of providing a simplified compartmental server. The factor of oneness and the simple consolidation of everything in a single serving unit, renders the construction novel.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A portable article holder and server for use on a soda fountain counter as well as for carrying and serving customers in nearby parked vehicles, in combination, a structural entity comprising a single fiat rectangular base, a first longitudinal wall attached to and rising perpendicularly from one longitudinal edge of said base, a second longitudinal wall like the first wall attached to and rising perpendicularly from said base and disposed in spaced parallelism to said first wall, transverse end walls joining said base and end portions of said longitudinal walls and defining an open top article receiving and hold ing compartment, said base extending well beyond said second longitudinal wall, a third longitudinal wall attached to and rising from the other longitudinal edge of said base, said third wall being of a height appreciably less than the height of said first and second longitudinal walls, a fourth wall horizontally disposed in spaced parallelism above said base and having one lengthwise edge joining the upper edge of said third wall and having its other lengthwise edge joined with an intermediate portion of said second longitudinal wall and defining a second open ended compartment, said fourth wall having selectively usable holes therein, and a pair of flat bottomed interchangeable and duplicate drawers slidably mounted in lengthwise alignment with each other in said open ended compartment, said drawers being each of a depth corresponding to the depth of said open ended compartment, the inner ends of said drawers being adjacent to one another unobstructedly open, corresponding walls of the respective drawers being in sliding contact with the cooperating portions of said second longitudinal wall, and the upper edges of both longitudinal walls of the respective drawers having slidable contact with the underneath side of said fourth horizontally disposed wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 138,372 Brace Apr. 29, 1873 1,178,572 Burbey Apr. 11, 1916 2,014,745 Regli Sept. 17, 1935 2,512,963 Peiker June 27, 1950 

